<!Doctype html>
<html>
	<head>
		<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="style.css">
	</head>
	<body>
		<article>
		<h1>6. The Cowardly Lion</h1>
<p>
All this time Dorothy and her 
companions had been walking through 
the thick woods. The road was still 
paved with yellow brick, but these 
were much covered by dried branches 
and dead leaves from the trees, and 
the walking was not at all good.
</p><p>
There were few birds in this part of 
the forest, for birds love the open 
country where there is plenty of 
sunshine. But now and then there came 
a deep growl from some wild animal 
hidden among the trees. These sounds 
made the little girl's heart beat 
fast, for she did not know what made 
them; but Toto knew, and he walked 
close to Dorothy's side, and did not 
even bark in return.
</p><p>
<span class="diag4">"How long will it 
be,"</span> the child asked of the Tin 
Woodman,<span class="diag4"> "before 
we are out of the forest?"</span>
</p><p>
<span class="diag10">"I cannot tell,"</span> was the answer, <span class="diag10">"for I 
have never been to the Emerald City. 
But my father went there once, when I 
was a boy, and he said it was a long 
journey through a dangerous country, 
although nearer to the city where Oz 
dwells the country is beautiful. But I 
am not afraid so long as I have my 
oil-can, and nothing can hurt the 
Scarecrow, while you bear upon your 
forehead the mark of the Good Witch's 
kiss, and that will protect you from 
harm."</span>
</p><p>
<span class="diag4">"But Toto!"</span> 
said the girl anxiously. 
<span class="diag4">"What will protect 
him?"</span>
</p><p>
<span class="diag10">"We must protect 
him ourselves if he is in danger,"</span> replied the 
Tin Woodman.
</p><p>
Just as he spoke there came from the 
forest a terrible roar, and the next 
moment a great Lion bounded into the 
road. With one blow of his paw he sent 
the Scarecrow spinning over and over 
to the edge of the road, and then he 
struck at the Tin Woodman with his 
sharp claws. But, to the Lion's 
surprise, he could make no impression 
on the tin, although the Woodman fell 
over in the road and lay still.
</p><p>
Little Toto, now that he had an enemy 
to face, ran barking toward the Lion, 
and the great beast had opened his 
mouth to bite the dog, when Dorothy, 
fearing Toto would be killed, and 
heedless of danger, rushed forward and 
slapped the Lion upon his nose as hard 
as she could, while she cried out:
</p><p>
<span class="diag4">"Don't you dare to 
bite Toto! You ought to be ashamed of 
yourself, a big beast like you, to 
bite a poor little dog!"</span>
</p><p>
<span class="diag11">"I didn't bite 
him,"</span> said the Lion, as he 
rubbed his nose with his paw where 
Dorothy had hit it.
</p><p>
<span class="diag4">"No, but you tried 
to,"</span> she retorted. 
<span class="diag4">"You are nothing 
but a big coward."</span>
</p><p>
<span class="diag11">"I know it,"</span> said the Lion, 
hanging his head in shame. <span class="diag11">"I've 
always known it. But how can I help 
it?"</span>
</p><p>
<span class="diag4">"I don't know, I'm 
sure. To think of your striking a 
stuffed man, like the poor 
Scarecrow!"</span>
</p><p>
<span class="diag11">"Is he stuffed?"</span> asked the Lion in 
surprise, as he watched her pick up 
the Scarecrow and set him upon his 
feet, while she patted him into shape 
again.
</p><p>
<span class="diag4">"Of course he's 
stuffed,"</span> replied Dorothy, who 
was still angry.
</p><p>
<span class="diag11">"That's why he 
went over so easily,"</span> remarked the Lion. <span class="diag11">"It 
astonished me to see him whirl around 
so. Is the other one stuffed also?"</span>
</p><p>
<span class="diag4">"No,"</span> said 
Dorothy, <span class="diag4">"he's 
made of tin."</span> And she helped 
the Woodman up again.
</p><p>
<span class="diag11">"That's why he 
nearly blunted my claws,"</span> said the Lion. <span class="diag11">"When 
they scratched against the tin it made 
a cold shiver run down my back. What is that 
little animal you are so tender of?"</span>
</p><p>
<span class="diag4">"He is my dog, 
Toto,"</span> answered Dorothy.
</p><p>
<span class="diag11">"Is he made of 
tin, or stuffed?"</span> asked the Lion.
</p><p>
<span class="diag4">"Neither. He's 
a--a--a meat dog,"</span> said the 
girl.
</p><p>
<span class="diag11">"Oh! He's a 
curious animal and seems remarkably 
small, now that I look at him. No one 
would think of biting such a little 
thing, except a coward like me,"</span> continued the Lion 
sadly.
</p><p>
<span class="diag4">"What makes you a 
coward?"</span> asked Dorothy, looking 
at the great beast in wonder, for he 
was as big as a small horse.
</p><p>
<span class="diag11">"It's a mystery,"</span> replied the Lion. <span class="diag11">"I 
suppose I was born that way. All the 
other animals in the forest naturally 
expect me to be brave, for the Lion is 
everywhere thought to be the King of 
Beasts. I learned that if I roared 
very loudly every living thing was 
frightened and got out of my way. 
Whenever I've met a man I've been 
awfully scared; but I just roared at 
him, and he has always run away as 
fast as he could go. If the elephants 
and the tigers and the bears had ever 
tried to fight me, I should have run 
myself--I'm such a coward; but just as 
soon as they hear me roar they all try 
to get away from me, and of course I 
let them go."</span>
</p><p>
<span class="diag9">"But that isn't 
right. The King of Beasts shouldn't be 
a coward,"</span> said the Scarecrow.
</p><p>
<span class="diag11">"I know it,"</span> returned the Lion, 
wiping a tear from his eye with the 
tip of his tail. <span class="diag11">"It is my 
great sorrow, and makes my life very 
unhappy. But whenever there is danger, 
my heart begins to beat fast."</span>
</p><p>
<span class="diag10">"Perhaps you have 
heart disease,"</span> said the Tin Woodman.
</p><p>
<span class="diag11">"It may be," said 
the Lion.
</p><p>
<span class="diag10">"If you have,"</span> continued the Tin 
Woodman, <span class="diag10">"you 
ought to be glad, for it proves you 
have a heart. For my part, I have no 
heart; so I cannot have heart disease."</span>
</p><p>
<span class="diag11">"Perhaps,"</span> said the Lion 
thoughtfully, <span class="diag11">"if I 
had no heart I should not be a coward."</span>
</p><p>
<span class="diag9">"Have you brains?"</span> asked the Scarecrow.
</p><p>
<span class="diag11">"I suppose so. 
I've never looked to see,"</span> replied the Lion.
</p><p>
<span class="diag9">"I am going to the Great 
Oz to ask him to give me some,"</span> remarked the 
Scarecrow, <span class="diag9">"for my 
head is stuffed with straw."</span>
</p><p>
<span class="diag10">"And I am going 
to ask him to give me a heart,"</span> said the Woodman.
</p><p>
<span class="diag4">"And I am going to 
ask him to send Toto and me back to 
Kansas,"</span> added Dorothy.
</p><p>
<span class="diag11">"Do you think Oz 
could give me courage?"</span> asked the Cowardly 
Lion.
</p><p>
<span class="diag9">"Just as easily as 
he could give me brains,"</span> said the 
Scarecrow.
</p><p>
<span class="diag10">"Or give me a 
heart,"</span> said the Tin Woodman.
</p><p>
<span class="diag4">"Or send me back 
to Kansas,"</span> said Dorothy.
</p><p>
<span class="diag11">"Then, if you 
don't mind, I'll go with you,"</span> said the Lion, <span class="diag11">"for 
my life is simply unbearable without a 
bit of courage."</span>
</p><p>
<span class="diag4">"You will be very 
welcome,"</span> answered 
Dorothy,<span class="diag4"> "for you 
will help to keep away the other wild 
beasts. It seems to me they must be 
more cowardly than you are if they 
allow you to scare them so 
easily."</span>
</p><p>
<span class="diag11">"They really are,"</span> said the Lion, <span class="diag11">"but 
that doesn't make me any braver, and 
as long as I know myself to be a 
coward I shall be unhappy."</span>
</p><p>
So once more the little company set 
off upon the journey, the Lion walking 
with stately strides at Dorothy's 
side. Toto did not approve this new 
comrade at first, for he could not 
forget how nearly he had been crushed 
between the Lion's great jaws. But 
after a time he became more at ease, 
and presently Toto and the Cowardly 
Lion had grown to be good friends.
</p><p>
During the rest of that day there was 
no other adventure to mar the peace of 
their journey. Once, indeed, the Tin 
Woodman stepped upon a beetle that was 
crawling along the road, and killed 
the poor little thing. This made the 
Tin Woodman very unhappy, for he was 
always careful not to hurt any living 
creature; and as he walked along he 
wept several tears of sorrow and 
regret. These tears ran slowly down 
his face and over the hinges of his 
jaw, and there they rusted. When 
Dorothy presently asked him a question 
the Tin Woodman could not open his 
mouth, for his jaws were tightly 
rusted together. He became greatly 
frightened at this and made many 
motions to Dorothy to relieve him, but 
she could not understand. The Lion was 
also puzzled to know what was wrong. 
But the Scarecrow seized the oil-can 
from Dorothy's basket and oiled the 
Woodman's jaws, so that after a few 
moments he could talk as well as before.
</p><p>

<span class="diag10">"This will serve 
me a lesson,"</span> said he, 
<span class="diag10">"to look where I 
step. For if I should kill another bug 
or beetle I should surely cry again, 
and crying rusts my jaws so that I 
cannot speak."
</p><p>
Thereafter he walked very carefully, 
with his eyes on the road, and when he 
saw a tiny ant toiling by he would 
step over it, so as not to harm it. 
The Tin Woodman knew very well he had 
no heart, and therefore he took great 
care never to be cruel or unkind to 
anything.
</p><p>
<span class="diag10">"You people with hearts,"</span> he said, <span class="diag10">"have 
something to guide you, and need never do 
wrong; but I have no heart, and so I must be 
very careful. When Oz gives me a heart of 
course I needn't mind so much."</span>
</p>		</article>
	</body>
</html>
